Nurse Jacintha blamed radio DJs in her suicide note

The Indian nurse who hanged herself last year after passing on a hoax call to Princess Kate in a London hospital last year has apparently blamed the two Australian radio DJs who played the prank on the hospital.

Speculation has mounted on the contents of Mangalore nurse Jacintha Saldanha’s suicide note ever since she killed herself in December 2012 – three days after putting through the call from Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who were pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles.

The prank call, during which a second nurse revealed that the pregnant princess was suffering from acute morning sickness, was aired by the Sydney radio station 2Day FM and picked by the global media, embarrassing the hospital and Jacintha.

Last year, The Guardian reported that the 46-year-old nurse had criticised staff at King Edward VII Hospital for her treatment following the call, which she answered while acting as a receptionist.

But now the Sunday Times says one of three hand-written notes absolves hospital authorities of any blame. The note, addressed to her managers, reportedly says: “Please accept my apologies. I am truly sorry. Thank you for all your support. I hold the Radio Australians Mel Greig and Michael Christian responsible for this act. Please make them pay my mortgage. I am sorry. Jacintha.”

Saldanha, who lived in Bristol with her Indian husband and two children, left two other notes behind: one apparently says she does not blame her work colleagues and the other leaves funeral instructions, according to the paper.

The revelation comes just ahead of an inquest into Jacintha’s alleged suicide – it was to have opened on May 2 but media reports now say it has been delayed. Jacintha’s husband Benedict Barboza is reported to have criticised hospital authorities.

The inquest is surrounded by all kinds of speculation, with some Australian blogs believing the prank call alone could not have led to Jacintha’s suicide. “The forthcoming inquest will hopefully provide answers for the family and for them it will be represent closure,” said British MP Keith Vaz, who has acted as the family’s spokesman in Britain.